Flying start

Tuesday 30 July 2019
IM recovery operators achieved the fastest arrival times ever, during the second quarter of 2019. This marked a flying start to the new contract period for recovery companies on the trunk road network. The average arrival time for 27,339 recoveries amounted to 12:27 minutes. Following correction for delays due to traffic congestion, the average arrival time was just 10:54 minutes. Both figures are approx. 50 seconds lower than the result in the previous quarter. The record set in the second quarter of 2012 was also beaten. In that quarter, for 16,607 recoveries, the operators achieved an average arrival time following correction for delays due to congestion of 11:16 minutes.

The exceptional performance levels are the consequence of a tendering procedure according to which the tendering parties were able to increase their chances of a successful tender by offering low arrival times. This encouraged many companies to raise the bar even higher. Arrival times were also positively influenced by the decision by Rijkswaterstaat to commission recovery operators to run standby services during the morning and evening rush hour periods, at twenty locations across the country.

IM recovery operators with average arrival times below 10 minutes

Recovery operator

Districts

Area (km)

Recoveries

Amerongen

GL249, GL250, GL251, GL252, GL263, GL265

279,9

1.240

Smits

NH129, NH133, NH135

213,9

1.312

Barendregt

ZH166, ZH167, ZH168, ZH175, ZH177, ZH180, ZH181

209,4

1.689

Hooikammer

F21, O72

106,3

239

Bergingsdienst

NB319, NB320

98,7

338

Dongen

L364

97,4

334

Bergnet

NH131, NH134, U207

89,7

597

Vreugdenhil

ZH156, ZH157

81,8

845

Schoenmaker

NH123

78,3

169

Vliet

NH136

76,2

486

Hoogwout

NH126

72,2

280

Delta

GL239, GL241

57,7

155

Renses

NH116

44,7

125

Broekmans

L355

40,9

43

Eijck

NB305

40,0

78

Haulo

NH114

39,2

34

Quartel

ZH163a

33,2

425

Graaf

ZH162

32,9

169

Collewijn

G35

32,2

50

Kuzee

Z285

30,9

61

Jonk

NH127

28,8

115

Heiltjes

NB330

28,1

43

Sprankenis

NB337

24,3

79

Logicx

U217, U221

23,7

170

Roos

ZH169

15,4

130

Total

1.875,8

9.206

National Total

8.730,0

27.339

Share ART < 10 min

21,5%

33,7%

As a consequence of these developments, the list of fast recovery operators is different from the standard list for the last contract period. If the companies are ranked according to the total number of kilometres of road in the districts in which they achieved an average arrival time of less than 10 minutes, for the first time, the number one position does not go to Takel-, Berging- en Transportbedrijf A. Barendregt in Rhoon but instead to Eerste Arnhemse Wegen- en Sleepdienst van Amerongen, followed closely by Smits Kraan- en Sleepbedrijf in Haarlem. The list was also longer than in the past. In 45 districts, together covering almost 1900 km of IM roads, arrival times of less than 10 minutes were achieved. That is around 50% more than in the first quarter of 2019.

Car fire on 27 June 2019 on the A12 motorway at Duiven, the area covered by Van Amerongen Berging (photograph: Road Inspector Jan)

Another remarkable feature was the rise in the number of road sections in which all recovery operations were carried out with arrival times within the standard time of 20 minutes during the day time and 25 minutes at night. This performance was achieved on 450 kilometres of IM road, more than 60% more than during the first quarter. This growth was attributable almost entirely to just two companies: Van Dongen Berging in Landgraaf and Bergingsdienst.nl in Liempde. Both these companies achieved a perfect score in their extensive districts, while completing large numbers of recovery orders. Stichting IMN would like to thank all the companies mentioned for their efforts.

IM recovery operators with 100% performance

Recovery operator

Districts

Area (km)

Recoveries

Dongen

L364

97,4

334

Bergingsdienst

NB320

64,8

213

Heiltjes

GL268, NB330

47,2

76

Autax

O75

41,0

30

Broekmans

L355

40,9

43

Eijck

NB325

34,3

62

Collewijn

G35

32,2

50

Delta

GL241

25,0

67

Sprankenis

NB337

24,3

79

Amerongen

GL251

18,3

46

Hoogwout

NH137

16,8

22

Barendregt

ZH175

7,5

83

Total

449,7

1.105

National total

8.730,0

27.339

Share 100%

5,2%

4,0%

The tables only show those districts for which a complete quarterly report was issued in the last quarter. These are districts in which twenty or more recovery operations were carried out and districts for which the quarter just ended was the last in a series of quarters, the cumulative total for which amounts to the minimum of twenty recovery operations required for drawing up a report. Average arrival times are reported following correction for delays due to traffic congestion. In determining the kilometres of road in each district, the two carriageways of roads with divided carriageways are counted as separate roads. No rights may be derived from the information in the tables.